Manual excavator.



J. AUSTIN.

MANUAL EXGAVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 1913.

war w Pate lted Feb. 3', 1914.

IN W N TOR J07fl Mina,

4 TTOR/VEVJ aka JOHN AUSTIN, OF UNION BAY, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.

MANUAL EXCAVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 3, 19 14:.

Application filed May 2, 1913. Serial No. 765,080.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN AUSTIN, citizen of the United States of America, residing at Union Bay, in the Province of British Columbia, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Manual Excavators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a manual excavating device which has been designed for use in small excavation work where the employment of a power excavator might not be justified.

It consists in the provision of a lever means by which the effort by one or more men or a horse may be applied to drag an excavating scoop over the ground and elevate it to deliver the contents into a wheelbarrow or truck for conveyance to the dump, which excavating scoop is manipulated by another operator, who is not required to exert any lifting effort but merely directs the scoop and holds it to its work of excavating and, after elevation by the lever, overturns it into the truck for conveyance to the dump. he invention is particularly described in the following specification, reference being made to the drawing by which it is accompanied, which represents the device in perspective.

The invention comprises an open trestle 2, the legs 3 of which may be pointed or otherwise fashioned to obtain a secure footing on the ground. This trestle is of such length as to extend across the ground to be operated on and at such height above it as to afford a clear head room for the operator and a sufficient range of movement of the excavating shovel. On the cross rail of this trestle 2 is endwise movable a member A, on the center of which is pivotally mounted, to move on a horizontal plane, a frame 6 having bearings for a shaft 5 which extends between the bearings of the frame. On this shaft 5 is mounted a suitably trussed and stayed lever member 7. The shorter end 9 of this lever 7 is flexibly connected by a line 8 to the handle of an excavator scoop 10 which may be of any desired form but has preferably a narrow excavating edge that it may be readily manipulated by manual efiort to excavate or scrape the surface of the ground within its range. To the other end of the lever 7 is connected a line 11 by.

which the lever may be laterally moved on its vertical axis to drag the excavating scoop 10 over the ground to fill it and after A it is filled, it may be hauled down to elevate the scoop to the level of the wheelbarrow or truck into which it is to be emptied.

To check movement of the lever 7 on either side of the fulcrum beyond what is required in working the device, a spring 12 is secured to the pivotally mounted member 6 and projects outward under each end of the lever 7.

It is not intended that this excavating means is a substitute for a power excavator but is for use on small excavations where a power excavator cannot be economically applied. This device will in such cases enable manual labor to be more favorably directed.

The slidable mounting of the member 4: on the trestle bar 2 and the mounting of the lever 7 thereon so that it has movement in a horizontal plane as well as in the vertical lifting plane, enable the excavating scoop 10 to be operated over a wide area extending beyond the range of the trestle.

I do not desire to be confined to the particular construction here set forth, either of the lever 7 or of the manner of mounting it on the trestle, so that it may have a lateral movement and a rotational movement both in a horizontal and in a Vertical plane; as the construction of these attachments may be varied.

The following claims define what I consider to be the novel features of my device on which I desire the protection of Letters Patent.

1. As a manual excavator, the comb-ination with an open trestle frame extending across the ground to be excavated, of a member endwise movable on the cross rail of this frame, a bearing member pivotally mounted on this endwise movable member to turn on a vertical axis, a lever pivotally mounted on the bearing member to turn on a horizontal axis, an excavating shovel or scoop having a directing handle connected to one end of the lever, and a flexible connection depending from the other end of the lever.

2. As a manual excavator, an open trestle frame extending across the ground to be excavated, a member endwise movable on the cross rail of this frame, a bearing member pivot-ally mounted on this endwise movable member to turn on a vertical axis and a lever pivotally mounted on the bearing member to turn on a horizontal axis, means for conmeeting one end of the lever to an excavating shovel or scoop and means for applying power to the other end of the lever to move it laterally or vertically.

3. As a manual excavator, an open trestle frame extending across the ground to be Worked, a member GDClWlSG movable on a cross rail of this frame, a bearing member pivotally mounted on the endWise movable member to turn on a vertical axis, a lever pivotally mounted to turn on ahorizontal axis on the bearing member, means secured to the bearing member for limiting extreme movement of the lever in either direction, means for connecting an excavating scoop to one end of the lever, and means for applying a manual effort to the other end.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN AUsTIN.

Witnesses P. Pmnnirrs HARRIsON, HY Gannon.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. U. 

